"...And so, I invited the Martial Alliance Leader to this meeting as well."
As soon as I returned to the sect, I reported to Father what had happened.
Chief Military Advisor Sama Myeong was also present at today's meeting. After all, he was the one responsible for coordinating the meeting schedule and guard matters.
At my words that I had even invited the Martial Alliance Leader, Father shook his head as if dumbfounded, while Sama Myeong simply stared at me in silence.
"Our Military Advisor had anticipated it would turn out this way, hadn't he?"
Of course, I had naturally expected this. This was the inevitable flow of history. That was what I had wanted to say.
"Which matter are you referring to? Are you speaking of the Young Lord, who suddenly left the sect to save the tavern owner, inviting the Sado Alliance Leader to our main sect? Or are you referring to your visit to ask the Martial Alliance Leader for understanding, only to invite even the Martial Alliance Leader?"
Come to think of it, I had gone out to save Jo Chunbae and his wife and ended up here. I hadn't done it consciously. Perhaps all of this had been born from Jo Chunbae's fate.
"I apologize. I have burdened you with a great matter when you are already busy."
"Do you even understand that it is a great matter?"
If the person who had caused this weren't the Young Lord, and if this weren't a meeting with Father, he might have burst out shouting, asking if I knew what kind of mess I had created.
"The Young Lord has accomplished what no one else could."
"Is that praise?"
Sama Myeong's expression said it all. As if it were praise! Of course, because we were in front of Father, he had said something contrary to his true feelings.
"It is praise."
He had the look of someone itching to pour out a nagging lecture starting with, "However..."
I understood Sama Myeong. Having lived his whole life as a military advisor, he disliked variables and changes. Especially since this matter was likely the greatest incident in his entire career as a strategist.
"There is much to prepare. Especially since this will be the first trilateral meeting, all sorts of chaos are anticipated. The biggest problem among them is the guard issue. Both the Martial Alliance and the Sado Alliance sides will try to bring as many experts as possible. The more people there are, the higher the probability of accidents occurring. I mean that if one wrong step is taken, it could lead to war."
Yet we couldn't tell them to come with only minimal guards either. Thus, advance coordination was absolutely necessary, and the person who would have to wage a war of nerves with both sides' strategists was none other than Sama Myeong himself. I felt sorry for him, but what could I do? Fate had led us here.
I shifted my gaze from Sama Myeong and looked at Father, who was silently looking down at me.
If this were before my regression, I would have trembled at that gaze. I wouldn't have even been able to meet his eyes. That was why my relationship with Father had only regressed rather than improved.
Father was looking at me without much thought. He was probably clicking his tongue, thinking, "What am I going to do with that troublemaker?" Unnecessary worries crept in—had I disappointed him further? Did he regret making me the Young Lord? Was he thinking of my older brother?
I must never forget that imagination, when unfurled alone, is a thing called misunderstanding that tears all its wings to shreds.
"Are you very angry?"
"Of course! Who gave you permission to hold a trilateral meeting? Military Advisor, contact the Martial Alliance and the Sado Alliance immediately and tell them it's canceled!"
Father's voice echoed loudly through the Cult Leader's hall.
However, there was no irritation or anger in Father's eyes as he looked at me.
I could tell. Father was getting angry on my behalf to ease Sama Myeong's mood. That scolding was also for my sake.
"You can't, Father!"
"What do you mean, can't!"
Sama Myeong cautiously stepped forward.
"Please calm yourself, Cult Leader. Since the Young Lord has already given his word, I believe it would be best to proceed as planned."
This way, I could preserve Sama Myeong's dignity and give him a chance to take my side.
"Military Advisor, thank you."
"It is fortunate. The Young Lord already has a military advisor, after all."
With an expression that said exactly how hard it must be to live as my military advisor, he shook his head vigorously. That was our Chief Military Advisor, one who never let things go.
"You go too far!"
With Sama Myeong cracking a joke like this, the mood lightened somewhat.
I looked at Father again.
What could he be thinking right now? Did he want to see the two Alliance Leaders? Even after watching him so intently, Father was truly difficult to read.
Anyway, I had already stirred up trouble. There was something I absolutely had to tell Father.
"This meeting may be a meeting of three people, but it will have a great influence on us three as well. Where else could we learn? It is a once-in-a-lifetime meeting between a Cult Leader and the Alliance Leaders."
And I relayed to him those same words I had spoken to others.
"I acted trusting in you, Father."
In the end, that characteristic sneer formed at the corner of Father's mouth. Even though I hadn't seen it in a long time, it suited him well.
"Then I shall take my leave."
As I turned and walked out, the back of my head burned.
So why do you dream of unifying the martial world? I will stop you until the very end, Father.
Indeed, the gazes burning into the back of my head weren't two, but three, were they?
Before leaving the Heavenly Demon Hall, I shouted into the empty air.
"Uncle Hwi! I'm sorry."
I hadn't forgotten to convey my apology to Hwi, my bodyguard. He was another person who would be on edge because of the trilateral meeting.
* * *
"Elder!"
After leaving the Cult Leader's hall, I immediately headed to Namdojong, where Hyeolcheon Doma was.
I ran to Hyeolcheon Doma's quarters as if reuniting with a long-lost family member. Since I had only seen Gwonma last time before leaving the sect again, it had been a while since I had reunited with Hyeolcheon Doma.
There was no one in the courtyard.
So I walked slowly and peered inside through the window. Then, an unexpected sight greeted me.
Hyeolcheon Doma was lying on the bed, asleep.
"It isn't even time for him to sleep yet."
I was about to turn back when I flinched. Hyeolcheon Doma taking a nap? That had never happened before.
I turned back and carefully opened the door, entering inside. I walked noiselessly, in case I might wake him.
But at the last moment, I turned my steps from the bed toward the bookshelf. I stood before it and was examining the new books Hyeolcheon Doma had bought, when...
"Didn't you come in because you were worried about me?"
I turned to see Hyeolcheon Doma looking at me, his eyes open.
"I wasn't?"
As if he weren't. He wouldn't know how startled I had been in that instant. When I entered the room, I had sensed Hyeolcheon Doma suppressing his breath, so I had stealthily changed direction.
"I was ready to scare you senseless if you approached to check my breathing."
"Why would I check your breathing? Is Elder someone who would pass away in bed? You would go out fighting gloriously on the battlefield, leaning on the Heaven-Annihilating Great Blade."
"You brat! Do you speak so easily of death to an old man?"
But contrary to his words, an uncontrollable smile formed at his lips. For that was the death he dreamed of as well.
"But why are you napping when you've never done so in your life?"
"I sleep occasionally. Wait until you're old, too."
Was it just my imagination? His voice lacked the strength of his usual crotchety self.
"Did you handle your business well?"
"I stirred up trouble."
"It would be strange if you didn't stir up trouble, running around like that. What kind of trouble?"
For now, only Father and Sama Myeong knew of this matter; it was top secret, unknown to others.
"I invited the Sado Alliance Leader to the entertainment house."
So how surprised could he have been?
"Who did you invite?"
"The Sado Alliance Leader."
"The Sado Alliance Leader I know? Baek Jagang?"
"You know him?"
"I know him."
He truly was a man with far-reaching connections and acquaintances.
"That can't be? That suspicious man accepted your invitation?"
With an expression of disbelief, Hyeolcheon Doma raised himself from the bed and poured some cold tea from the tea tray beside him to drink.
"I invited one more person. That's why I'm worried."
Hyeolcheon Doma answered nonchalantly.
"If you invited the Sado Alliance Leader, who would dare cause trouble? As long as it's not the Martial Alliance Leader."
A brief silence fell.
Startled, Hyeolcheon Doma looked at Geom Mugeuk and blinked.
"No?"
When he received no answer, Hyeolcheon Doma asked again.
"It isn't, is it?"
"..."
"Surely not?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
As he spoke, he deliberately clutched his head in mock agony.
"I don't even know why I'm like this!"
Though he joked around, Hyeolcheon Doma did not react. The gaze he directed at me was deep.
"The Martial Alliance Leader accepted the invitation as well? How on earth? Even for you, that's..."
"I don't think they accepted because of me."
"Then why?"
"The three of them must have harbored a desire to see one another at least once. Otherwise, could this matter have come to pass?"
As Hyeolcheon Doma nodded silently, he revealed a cold aura and spoke.
"The two Alliance Leaders are coming to our main sect? This is a chance to take care of both sides at once."
After speaking as if it were his own thought, Hyeolcheon Doma quickly added.
"What are you going to do if the Cult Leader thinks this way?"
Hyeolcheon Doma believed that Father might harbor such thoughts.
"At least this time, he won't."
"How can you be sure?"
Honestly, I couldn't be certain. I simply trusted Father.
"Because they are guests invited by his son."
"What if he values the great cause more than his son?"
"Then please stop him, Elder. Only you can stop him."
We looked at each other in silence.
Just then, Seo Daeryong entered.
"Huh? Young Lord!"
Seo Daeryong approached me gladly upon seeing me.
"When did you arrive?"
"Today. What's this? Your eyes have changed?"
I could tell at once that Seo Daeryong had achieved great advancement in martial arts in the time I hadn't seen him. Until now, his skills had steadily improved bit by bit, but seeing him today, he felt distinctly stronger.
Then, a startling truth was revealed.
"Yesterday, Master opened my Ren and Du meridians for me."
Only now did Geom Mugeuk understand. Hyeolcheon Doma hadn't been joking around; he had truly been tired and napping.
Medicine ingredients were in Seo Daeryong's hands. It seemed he had gone to the Demonic Physician to have a tonic prescribed.
"Let me examine your condition."
I didn't ask, "May I examine you?" Because he knew how worried I was, Hyeolcheon Doma didn't resist when I took his wrist and sent a stream of inner energy into him.
"I'm fine."
Fortunately, he was fine. His martial arts were so strong and his inner power so profound that he had opened the Ren and Du meridians without needing to use his Innate True Qi.
Opening the Ren and Du meridians.
A process that ordinary experts must go through to reach the level of a transcendent master. I had thought I would do it for Seo Daeryong someday since taking him as my direct disciple, and that day had already come. It was proof of how hard Seo Daeryong had trained.
Geom Mugeuk gloated on Hyeolcheon Doma's behalf.
"You know, don't you? Opening the Ren and Du meridians is so dangerous that it's only done for one's flesh and blood."
"I know."
"Then that's that."
Seo Daeryong's eyes were burning. I could tell without looking how grateful he must have been, given his personality.
"I'll go warm the medicine I brewed. The Demonic Physician said this medicine is the most effective."
Hyeolcheon Doma nagged Seo Daeryong.
"You brat, how much is your monthly salary that you go buying medicine?"
"I may not look it, but I am the Lord of the Yellow Heaven Pavilion. I earn a lot of money."
Seo Daeryong went outside to warm the medicine.
When I looked at Hyeolcheon Doma with touched eyes, he raised his voice needlessly.
"I didn't do it for him. If he's my disciple, that much is expected."
Now, hearing him say "my disciple" no longer felt awkward.
"I like you the most, Elder."
Hyeolcheon Doma lay back down on the bed, feeling awkward at the sentiment.
"Enough. I'm going to sleep more."
As if I would just leave because he said so. I plopped down at the foot of the bed.
"Actually, though I put on a bold front, how could I not be worried? What if the meeting I envisioned turns into a truly dangerous situation? What if Father really holds up a severed head with blood dripping from both hands and smiles at me?"
"Why complain to me about it?"
"Then who else am I supposed to say this to?"
"Go tell that mask-wearer. Or that drunkard, or that poison-user."
I pretended not to hear and continued.
"Was I only afraid of Father? What if Elder dislikes them? What if you have hidden grudges with the Sado Alliance Leader or Martial Alliance Leader that I don't know about? What if you can't endure it when we meet and try to kill them?"
Hyeolcheon Doma spoke with his eyes closed.
"If it were that deep a grudge, I would have sought them out long ago."
"Right?"
"You never know. One of the Demon Lords might unleash emotions they've been suppressing that day."
"No, that can't happen!"
As I was pretending to be in agony, Seo Daeryong came in with the warmed medicine.
"Master, take your medicine!"
"I should eat that medicine instead. I'm so anxious I'm going to die first."
As I tried to snatch the medicine, Seo Daeryong escaped using footwork.
"This is Master's!"
"Since when did you care for the Elder this much? Pavilion Lord Seo, what about me! Me! The former Lord of the Yellow Heaven Pavilion, the Young Lord of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult! The one you serve as your right-hand man!"
"Until Master finishes all this medicine, you only have one arm!"
Watching Seo Daeryong respectfully offer the medicine to Hyeolcheon Doma, a smile naturally formed on my lips. In my life before the regression, these two had never even exchanged a single word.
Over the present scene, I could see the image of Seo Daeryong entering my office with that gloomy expression when we first met. Overlapping that was the image of him drunk, clinging to Hyeolcheon Doma's leg. And the image of him overjoyed at receiving a great blade as a gift.
And over this scene, what other image would overlap? When all those images overlapped for the final time, what picture would remain?
After Hyeolcheon Doma took the medicine and lay back down, Seo Daeryong and I quietly left the room.
Then Hyeolcheon Doma spoke with his eyes closed.
"Everything will work out."
At that heavy yet calm single sentence, my heart grew at ease. Truly at ease.
Even though I had regressed, even though my life looked perfect no matter how hard I tried, I too was someone who needed to hear such words. That I was doing well, that everything would be okay. To me, Hyeolcheon Doma was that kind of person.
"Inspector Seo, let's sleep with our Elder today."
"Very well."
Swept up in the mood, Seo Daeryong showed no fear.
At that, Hyeolcheon Doma's eyes shot open and he shouted.
"Who decided that! Go! Sleep at home!"
Hearing Hyeolcheon Doma's shout, I finally felt that I had returned home. If someone asked how one could walk such a perilous path, I would answer that it was because there was a place to return to.
"I said go, you brats!"
If I had intended to listen obediently, I wouldn't have brought it up in the first place.
With an excited face, I quickly ran out and shouted.
"I'll go get my sleepwear! Let's go, Right Hand!"